Rookies are being paid too much

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JaMarcus Russell - Credit: Getty Images

Without a doubt, the NFL rookie pay scale is out of control. Every year, first-round draft picks -- especially the ones at the top of the draft -- earn more than the majority of vested, proven veterans before they have even played a single live snap.

Teams purposely move out of the top 10 to avoid paying exorbitant guaranteed signing bonuses to players, like the $32 million paid to JaMarcus Russell for being the first selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. Three years later, he was released and isn’t even in the NFL anymore.

Options include a salary cap or re-routing some of these millions from incoming players to the outgoing ones via the pension fund.

Regardless, owners can no longer afford to pay rookies astronomical salaries before they have produced anything.